Is this what I think it is?

I don't know anything about these but I ran across this today, sure wish I'd found it earlier (only a day left on the auction). Question, is it actually a sniper rifle, does the serial number indicate that it is? I know it's been sportered a bit, but a starting point.

Public Surplus: Auction #1061958

No and no, with that serial number it never was a sniper rifle.

What makes you think it is a sniper? It has all appearances of a sporterized Long Branch rifle, nothing more. Good price at $50.00 bucks though.

We had a rifle given to us at the small arms school once by a French Canadian who had been a sniper in WW2. At least that was his story. When the rifle was translated from French, it came out that this was the rifle he used. All were in awe at this sporterized bolt action...6.5x55 Swedish Mauser. I said no, it boiled out to this was his rifle and he had been a sniper. But not both. Some people just don't carry a story well, like the writer of this sales post.